House of Love
by Butterfly Kitty
Summary: Patricia is acting weird and Jerome wants to help her. Oneshot.


_"Patricia, please don't do this to me," I begged. "You're scaring me half to death!"_

_"Shut up Stupidhead," Patricia's voice cracked as she dissolved into another fit of sobs._

**I bet you're wondering why I, Jerome Clarkes, am bothering to comfort a girl. Not just any girl, though. A fearless, tearless, Goth-pixie, look-at-me-and-die girl. Patricia Williamson. I'll tell you how it happened. **

Patricia Williamson had been acting weird. She was more obnoctious and secretive than ever. She upgraded her usual insult "slimeball" to "stupidhead," and even changed her clothing choice from black and white and gray to all black. I was the only one who knew.

Yes. I know. And I agree. You're thinking "Why should anyone as incredibly handsome and fantastic as Jerome bother with a girl not even half his superiority?" Well, that girl happens to be my (ahem) crush, so cut the chiz (something I learned from Nina's petty American speech.)

Anyway, this whole thing started (or at least when I began to sit up and take notice) one Friday aftenoon. I was talking to Alfie. We were discussing how we were gonna prank the nerd Fabian. Then out of the corner of my eye, I saw Patricia's boyfriend slap her.

Across the cheek.

I wasn't sure if I was hallucinating or it was real, but I paid little attention to it. But it had kept bugging me all throughout the day. After that I actually started seeing the bruises on her arms and such. I realized they were obvious to those who looked. I guess I hadn't noticed them before.

Then I saw that Patricia was fasting. Like, refusing food and such. And she looked increasingly thin, so thin I could count her ribs through her shirt. I think it's called anorexia. I also think that her boyfriend is behind it all. Actually, I know her boyfriend is behind it all.

One day I couldn't stand it. Patricia was suffering right before my eyes and I needed to help her, despite our feud. I needed to take action. But the question was when I'd do it.

Patricia decided that. That day, she came back from a date at 11 PM, which was past Victor's time limit. The door was locked. At that time, Nina, Fabian, Amber, Alfie and I were having a Sibuna meeting in the attic. We just assumed Patricia was "at it" with her boyfriend Sol Hannigan. We heard a loud crash outside, and I had the sickening feeling something bad happened to her. So I told the Sibunas to keep the meeting going while I investigated. I quicky got to the first floor and crawled out the bathroom window, which was never locked. The dump was right behind the bathroom, and thats where I saw Patricia.

She was sitting between the two dumpsters against the wall, sobbing hysterically into her hands. I went down the trash and sat next to her, giving a little cough to let her know I was there.

"Patricia, please don't do this to me," I begged. "You're scaring me half to death!"

"Shut up Stupidhead." Patricia's voice cracked as she dissolved into another fit of sobs.

"What happened to slimeball?" I asked teasingly.

"I'm serious," Patricia warned.

"Would you like to tell me what happened?" I asked softly, brushing a bit of hair from her face.

"Not really," Patricia said as-a-matter-of-factly.

"Please?" I asked. Patricia sighed.

"He's cruel to me Jerome," she said quietly, so much I almost didn't hear her.

"What does he do?" I asked, knowing she was talking about Sol. Patricia gave a little sideshrug, averting her eyes.

"He hits me if I'm late for a date, or of I disobey him, and he always touches me," she said. "His touches went too far tonight."

"Did you want it?" I asked.

"No!" Patricia started crying again. I held her close as she started crying into my chest, every so often murmuring words of console into her ear. When she ran out of tears she remained posture in my arms, and I stayed on the ground with her. She looked so lost, so broken... I didn't like it at all.

''Did anything else happen that I need to know?" I probed.

"He called me a fat bitch... is it true?" Patricia asked nervously, looking down at her slender self.

"Patricia, your ribs stick out of your shirt, you're anything but fat," I said. "And I don't think you're a bitch."

There was a silence.

"...He also called me unlovable." I sat right up. Patricia flinched.

"Patricia Ann Williamson, you are the most lovable person anyone could ever meet. Sol is unlovable. You are not. And if you don't believe me..." I shoved my lips against hers, putting all my love and passion into the kiss. I felt Patricia smile against my lips, and she kissed back. She wound her arms around my neck, and I pulled her closer with mine. When we broke apart for air, I spoke again.

"So do you believe me?" I asked. Patricia gave a shy smile.

"Yes. Yes I do," she said.

**There is no more to say. Patricia and I are offically dating now. She broke up with Sol, who was sent to prison. She bore no child. And whenever we kiss, I remember that day, the day I saved Patricia from an abusive situation (and the day I had to explain to the Sibunas that it wasn't right to stare when I was kissing a girl.)**


End file.
